Battle of Delaware River dredging continues

[jackdaniels]

Court battle over $300 million plan to increase Delaware river to 40-45 feet is scheduled for Dec 8. Delaware and NJ are suing to block the dredging because the Corp of Engineers got no permits from either state.
Labor, business and the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia want the dredging. They hope to get traffic in 2014 when The Panama Canal opens to mega ships.
Environmental groups counter that the dredging plan is risky and unlikely to attract even a small fleet of new shippers -- not nearly enough of a return to jeopardize important fisheries and slowly rebounding ecosystems that support their own industries and ecotourism.
Some experts say the odds are heavily against a shipping boom for ports along the Delaware, even if the channel is deepened.